This experiment involved making the information on the WBSO website clearer and more personally relevant to entrepreneurs. The visibility of the call-to-action was also enhanced. The study showed that entrepreneurs were prompted to spend more time exploring the possibilities offered by the Research and Development (Promotion) Act (WBSO) and that they read the information more carefully.

Why this experiment was conducted: number of new applications below expectations
The Research and Development (Promotion) Act (WBSO) is a key fiscal scheme to promote innovation amongst businesses. Behavioural teams from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) performed a behavioural analysis to address the issue of a declining number of new applicants. Their analysis revealed that many entrepreneurs are uncertain whether they qualify for the WBSO and what financial benefit they might expect to gain. Entrepreneurs had a perception that the application process involved a lot of hassle and were sceptical of the time investment. The website did not help in this regard: information for different target audiences was mixed up, and the WBSO webpage contained lots of links but not much content. This hindered entrepreneurs from promptly accessing the information relevant to them.

Types of intervention: visible call-to-action, simpler information and greater personal relevance
Several behavioural interventions were applied to the website:
• The call-to-action to fill in the online help tool (regelhulp) was made more visible and engaging. Entrepreneurs can use the online help tool to get an indication, having first answered a few questions, of whether they are eligible for the WBSO scheme and how this might benefit them. The existing website included a link to the online help tool embedded within a complex sentence. On the test site, this link in the sentence was replaced by a large button accompanied by the eye-catching wording 'Bereken uw WBSO-voordeel' (Calculate your WBSO tax benefit).
• Information was made simpler and more personally relevant. All the texts on the landing page and additional pages linked from the landing page were rewritten for this purpose. Actions were divided into small steps and focused on the various target groups. To provide visitors with a quick overview of the WBSO scheme, a brief explanation was placed at the top of the landing page with the main calls-to-action (online help tool and link for submit now). Visitors could also find more concise content without having to click links. To enhance personal relevance, examples illustrating the WBSO scheme's benefits and personal stories from other applicants were added.

Method used: A/B test and baseline and impact measurements
An A/B test was performed to measure the effect of the call-to-action button. Over a period of four weeks, visitors to the WBSO landing page (N=5150) were randomly directed to one of the two versions of the website: the control version and the test version. The number of times the online help tool was clicked was measured in both versions. Baseline and impact measurements were performed to assess the other changes: web statistics during a three- month period following the changes were compared with those of the same period a year earlier. See figure 31.

Result obtained: 50% more clicks on online help tool
The test site including the 'Bereken uw voordeel' (calculate your benefit’) button led to significantly more clicks on the online help tool than the existing site with the link. The proportion of visitors who clicked significantly increased from 7.3% to 10.9%. Simpler and more personally relevant information on the website also had an effect. Visitors stay longer on the landing page, as well as on the linked pages. Combined with the shorter texts, this suggests that the information is read more attentively. In addition, more visitors used the online help tool.

Impact: more entrepreneurs exploring the possibilities presented by the WBSO scheme, promotion of innovation
Since there were no other major changes during the period in which the baseline and impact measurements were performed, it is plausible that the interventions help entrepreneurs to explore the possibilities offered by the WBSO scheme. The number of completed WBSO applications in the period following the website changes is higher than before (7,004 versus 6,940), as is the number of applications from new applicants (335 vs. 287). However, these two increases cannot be directly linked to the improvements made to stimulate entrepreneurs to explore the WBSO, due to lack of data.

Source: https://www.binnl.nl/home+-+en/knowledge/publications/bin+nl+publications/HandlerDownloadFiles.ashx?idnv=2719979